HCM City looks to collect more blood

The HCM City People's Committee has asked the municipal Red Cross Association to closely work with the city's health sector in increasing blood donations this year.

More than 2,000 young people donate blood at an event organised by the HCM City Youth Federation, the HCM City Students' Association and Cho Ray Hospital in Tao Dan Park last January.

At a meeting yesterday, the association said it would collect at least 150,000 blood units this year, an increase of 10 per cent against last year.

More than 1 million people will benefit from the programme. According to a report from the association, between November 2009 and 2010, the association received and handed over more than 130,000 units of blood to the city's Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion.

The association has organised other charitable programmes, such as assisting disadvantaged people in the city and neighbouring provinces, and caring for Agent Orange victims.

Nguyen Thi Hue, head of the association, said that last year the value of the association's charitable activities and social works was estimated at VND220 billion (USD10.4million), far more than the 2009 figure of VND145 billion (USD7million).